Tree-band.



W. POENIGKE.

TREE BAND. APPLIZIATION FILED JULY 22, 1912.

1,101, 145, Patented June 23, 1914.

wax/Aim WALTER POENICKE, or semzsce, GERMANY.

TREE-BAND.

specification of I le tters Patent.

Patented J une 1914.

Application filed July 22, 1912. Serial No. 710,997.

To (ZZZ who'n'z it may concern Be it known that I, lVALTER Ponmcnn,

gardener, a Subject of the German Emperor,

and residing at Delitzsch, Germany, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Tree-Bands, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention refers to a protective strip for plants and moreparticularly for trees and shrubs of every description, which, whenconveniently placed around the plant and secured, is able to bring aboutfertility prior to the natural period of maturity; at the same timeprey-*enting the cord from growing or cutting into the bark. In theconfiguration of the protective strip and the mode of fixing the samethe way that the sap circulates in a plant or in a tree has been takeninto account and also the growth in thickness of the plant at thecorresponding place been considered.

The sap-circulation in the tree is, as is well known, taking place intwo streams, fully separated. from one another, 2'. e. the ascendingstream of the raw soil-sucks in the interior rigid wood-body and thedescending stream of the ready assimilated saps, moving themselves inthe soft cells just being formed of the outer hast-layer. As the rigidwood-body is withstanding pressures from the outside, a rigidembracement of the trunk can under no circumstances put a stop to theascending stream of the saps. On the other hand the descending coursesof the sap gradually and completely lose their conductibility by meansof a trunk loop when the trunk, while growing, becomes thicker. Thereby,in accordance with certain physiological laws, an alteration of thesap-mixture in the body of the plant takes place, the nutrients beingthereby no longer used for further growth; they are rather stored up,causing in this manner an intense ripening effect on the plant. Whenfull loss of conducting power sets in and at last the loop grows deeplyinto the tree, the latter withers. lVhen, however, the impediment isremoved in due time the tree recovers soon again. The period between theplacing the strip and the consecutive complete withering is a prettylong one; it is characteristical for each tree and cannot be calculatedin advance.

By ring-barking the trunk, by which there is understood thedecorticating of a barkring, or by putting around a wire-loop the sameeffect would have to be realized thoretically, as far as fertility isconcerned, as by means of the present protective strip. This, however,does not hold good in practice. Ring-barking of the trunk greatlyendangers the existence of the tree, which in most cases will wither asthe bark removed does not grow up quickly enough and thus the impedimentcannot be removed. A wireloop however, would by far too quickly beovergrown by the arising bark-rolls; therefore, it would have to beremoved prematiirely i. a; long time before the full anticipation offertility is insured, in order to prevent complete overgrowing. Else itgrows fully into the tree, making it wither at all events. By applying,however, the new protective strip an anticipated abnorm'al fertility isinsured without endangering the tree when properly applied. The stripmay be left at its place until immediately before the plant is going towither, so it allows of obtaining the maximum of efiect as any danger ofbeing overgrown is eliminated. As the trunk grows in thickness theborder-partitions of the strip are being raised up by the masses ofbark, newly formed, sufficiently until the jags that have theeftect ofstruts arelbearing against the central part. lVhen such position isattained and the thickening is progressing further, the outer parts ofthe border-partitions of the protective strip are gradually bent-up. Themasses of bark pressing forward are thus forced back by the borderpartitions of the strip, rendering in this way an overgrowing of thestrip a practical impossibility. By the protective strip being rigid inthe center and not extensible, while it allows of extension toward theborders, such extension of the plant can take place without anydifliculty above and below the crease. After having realized the eifectwished for, the strip can be removed at any time. When appliedconveniently the existence of the tree can never be endangered. I wishstill to pointout that such protective strip is not intended toextirpate caterpillars and other noxious insects.

()n the accompanying drawing, in which the same numbers refer to thesame parts throughout the several views, several forms of embodiments ofthe invention are represented by way of example. Therein Figure 1 showsa form of the protective strip before use, in elevation. Fig. 2 is across section taken on the line A-B of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is illustrative ofthe protective strip placed around a tree-trunk and of the tree itself.Figs. 4: and 5 are views showing the protective strip immediately afterand further a longer period after it has been placed around the striphaving incisions according to Fig. 1. Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate aprotective strip in the same positions having simple border-incisions.

The strip a made of metallic sheet, hoop iron or other resistantmaterial in lengths as required and in suitable width, is given alongits longitudinal borders incisions b, allowing of a further extension ofthe strip at its upper and lower borders when the thickness of thetree-trunk is increasing. The incisions may be simply parallel, as in Z)or even hook-like angular, as in b, or they may have any shape whateverso it permits only of an extension of the diameter of the strip a placedaround and secured by cords c, in the direction toward the borders.Likewise simply shaped incisions as shown at b in Figs. 6 and 7 may beprovided.

Such protective strips are placed at any point whatever beneath thosespots of a plant where there is to be put a crease or where increasedfertility is to be obtained. After the result as intended is attainedthe strip is removed again in order to prevent a withering away of theplant.

The peculiar configuration of the device as prescribed prevents the barkoi. the plantportion increasing in thickness from over growing theprotective strip; the borders thereof are rather bent out unless theyhave not from the very outset a corresponding form while the centralportion of the strip is rigidly embracing the trunk, all that to anamount as shown in Figs. 5 and 7. In this manner it is possible to leavethe protective strip for a long time at one spot, without it beingovergrown.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let ters Patent is as follows, the right being reserved tosuch modifications as tall within the scope of the claims 1. A tree-bandconsisting of a strip of hard material, said strip having a rigidcentral portion and resilient longitudinal sides.

'2. A tree-band consisting of a strip of hard material, said striphaving a rigid central portion and resilient longitudinal sides saidsides having portions out otli'.

3. A tree-band consisting of a strip of hard material having a rigidcentral portion and incisions in its longitudinal sides for making saidsides bendable for bending.

i. A tree-band consisting of a strip of hard, material having a rigidcentral portion and yielding longitudinal sides, and means for securingsaid strip formed in. the shape of a hook, to a plant.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

WALTER POENICKE.

Vitnesses RUDQLPH Fnioitn, Finns'r HnNsoHL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

